Gigglebit: Ikea Monkey – where is the internet star two years later?

Gigglebit is Siliconrepublic’s daily dose of the funny and fantastic in science and tech, to help start your day on a lighter note.

Two years ago this week, shoppers at an Ikea store in north Toronto were surprised to find a rhesus macaque – prohibited in Ontario – wandering around the car park, sporting a diaper and shearling coat. The monkey, named Darwin, had escaped from his now-former owner’s car.

Animal services took hold of then-seven-month-old Darwin, who was later turned over to Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary in Sunderland, Ontario. Darwin’s owner was charged with owning a prohibited animal, an offence that carries a fine of about Cdn$200.

Today, Darwin is doing well at the sanctuary. He has nearly tripled his weight since he first arrived there, and while still a bit shy, he is friendly with the other primates, The Toronto Star reported.

Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary, meanwhile, is looking to expand. To help it do so, it has launched the online Darwin’s Dream crowdfunding campaign. The aim of the campaign is to move Darwin and other primates in the sanctuary’s care to the site of the former Northwood Zoo and Exotic Animal Ranch in Seagrave, Ontario, The Toronto Star reported.

To date, the campaign has raised nearly Cdn$10,000, with a goal of Cdn$490,000.